The Bobcats would have more fans if. . .

[Michael Thompson]

My name is Michael Thompson and I'm the new Director of Corporate Communications for the Bobcats. My job is to craft and deliver messages through the media that help build our brand and create brand loyalty, so the organization can do things like sell tickets and sponsorships more effectively, and engage more people in ways that only sports can.

As Bobcats fans, you're all brand representatives as well, and a big part of my job is making sure all of our representatives are armed with information and facts on the team, Arena and our products/services. From insight on the team to single game ticket offers and everything in between, think of me as a resource to help you communicate more effectively about the Bobcats, provide answers for questions that you or others may have about the organization, or be a conduit for delivering messages directly to Bobcats' senior management. This is a partnership between fans and the organization, and the conversation should go both ways. I can help do that for you.

I'll be posting a lot on here. You've already seen the threads on Guns N' Hoses and the now-famous MJ practice. As news happens I'll bring it here. As questions arise, I'll answer them here. Feel free to reach out to me either on this forum, or at my work email: mthompson@bobcats.com

I look forward to working with all of you. Even some guy named Ziggy.

[Dunk]

If this is true, I'm impressed with your willingness to interact with the fans. A couple of points.

- Winning cures a lot of ills so that should be priority one towards getting butts in seats. We speculate on how to do that here in multiple threads so I won't do that in this post.

- Please, please, please expand the television coverage of the team. I've heard that there is a possible move to FoxSS. I think the 'cats need strong regional coverage throughout the Carolinas that covers over the air, basic cable systems, and satellite.

- We would love an HD feed of the games. At least I would.

- The Bobcats have a charitable foundation, how can we assist with that? Recently I was looking to make a holiday donation and wanted a worthy charity...I'd be happy to do something as a season ticket holder.


Thanks for your post. No one wants the team to succeed like we do.

[dnbman]

Michael,

Thanks for posting. As far as fact checking, these a few things I know fans on various websites have been wondering:

1. What is Bernie's role now? Is he still involved with decisions on players or has is job changed?

2. As Dunk pointed out, many folks around the web have said all manner of things about the TV deal. What is the current deal and are the Bobcats involved in trying to get more games on the air in future seasons?

3. Has there been any progress with the arena naming rights?

4. Somewhat related, several people have suggested there's some sort of arena boycott. (Most don't believe it) Do you have many (or any) actual protesters who have contacted you or refused to do business with you because they thought the democratic process was hijacked in regards to the arena? (If that feels like a leading question, it's mean to be.)

If you can't answer any of these questions, I understand. However, all of them have been involved in tons of posts around various websites. Some truth to the matter might at least put the threads to rest. (Although, many of them have somewhat disappeared since the start of the season.)

Thanks again for posting. That's quite noble and bold of you. On a side note, my wife and I have thoroughly enjoyed the games we've been to this season, and my wife's not even a basketball fan.

Take care.

[MattD]

Two ways jump to mind...

Out of game experience, aka watching on TV, is not an option for many people, the deal is killing you guys, and the fans... the quality is crappy on the games that are televised, get a HD option, I would buy it seriously! Put all the games on the air... no more news 14, everyone in charlotte and maybe a 250 mile radius of the city nc and sc should be able to watch them play... make people want to see their team.

Second, in game experience... the arena is great, the layout terrific, but the announcer, it has been mentioned here before, is so damn obnoxious. I think a good idea would be instead of having the announce shout "lets go cats" out of sync with the beat, but it up on the big screen flashing, Lets go cats, or Louder!!! whatever, we dont need the announcer screaming at us. Furthermore, there needs to be some way to pump noise and life into the arena on a weekday... its quiet, too quiet. I also think it might draw some people if MJ came out on the floor before a game and just said thanks for coming etc, let us know hes around and involved, the practice was good, but we (the fans) only saw it in the news, not real life.

I have noticed more and more of my friends have been gaining interest in the team, so time will tell, but the stigma about the NBA playing no defense is one the bobcats cannot help and the bitchy people of charlotte wont lose. They want an immediate winner and a contender, when the bobcats get there, the arena will sell out.

[davcbow]

Well said MattD thats how I feel...... :g:

Go Bobcats!!!!!!!

[Dunk]

One other point that I forgot. Is it possible to get a bit more interaction with the players and coaches? For example, signings, online chats, and other events?
Something specific to more dedicated fans of the team. This is my first year as a season ticket holder and I thought there would be more opportunities for that kind of thing (and there probably is at the higher levels). Unless I'm missing out on that sort of thing on accident.

Just to echo what's been said, the arena experience has been much improved. Especially with the change in music and announcing and the earlier start time.

[Keetch]

I don't know if its just me, but I have heard others complain some...but the volume of the PA system makes the games a double-edged experience. Love the Bobcats; love the NBA...DESPISE what the PA system is doing to me. I have tickets for every single game; and I fear it is destroying my hearing. Not to mention that it is very difficult to hear the person next to you or to speak to them. I'm not talking about some of the time; I'm talking almost all of the time during games. It's so disheartening and more than a little disrespectful.

When I leave games now, often my ears are ringing and the headache is coming on by the time I get home...and I don't drink so its not a hangover. If the core of your ticket sales are season ticket holders; then why do you abuse us?

I know of folks who have attended one game and not returned because of this.

The Bobcats have in their midst the single-most pre-eminent basketball icon; Michael Jordan; but for some reason he remains completely isolated from the community. Instead of MJ asserting a potential community relationship he instead gives the appearance of elitism. So in essence, how about a little MJ? We don't need a lot. Little bits would have tremendous impact.

[Shrimpy_Jackson]

Yes, MattD is spot on with the tv thing, I'm in Greensboro and don't have the time warner so I've seen maybe 6 games this year and I hear last night Wallace almost fought Garnett and I'll never be able to see that. I've cried a little today. Just so you know. It looked a little something like this
:bang: :escape:

because when I cry.... bad things happen.

SJ :g:

[davcbow]

Viewing games is bad out my way too, same general veiwing as GSO but I have directTV and the only way to see a game if its not on regular tv is to buy a sports package or the NBA league pass. To get new fans you need to get the game to them so they can watch the team play and get them interested in the Bobcats (more regular broadcast games are needed) Dont expect them to buy a expensive sports package so they can get interested in a team they have no clue about. Same goes with the female fans except even less likely to get them interested through some sports package (the wife said that to me just now).

Go Bobcats!!!!!

[Alex]

Whatever happened to the new website that we were promised in the off-season?

[dvdbumpus]

Welcome Michael! It's awesome to have you on board and being some open to discussion with some real fans at this site! With you coming over from the Hornets you bring a history of success and it's good to have you in your position. I posted kind of late, but here are some things that I picked out of other people's posts that I completely agree with:


Please, please, please expand the television coverage of the team. I've heard that there is a possible move to FoxSS. I think the 'cats need strong regional coverage throughout the Carolinas that covers over the air, basic cable systems, and satellite.

I live in Ohio, and I watch as many games as I can, which is a pain because unless it's a Cavs game, I have to sit at my work (which has directtv) and watch the games there. I know it's far away but it's next to impossible for even my family in Greensboro to catch games.



The Bobcats have a charitable foundation, how can we assist with that? Recently I was looking to make a holiday donation and wanted a worthy charity...I'd be happy to do something as a season ticket holder.

I'd love to help in any way I can. I think that Cats are a great organization in what they do for the community, so please, please don't change what they're doing, but let us help!


But the announcer, it has been mentioned here before, is so damn obnoxious

Agreed. Even on TV it drives me insane.


The Bobcats have in their midst the single-most pre-eminent basketball icon; Michael Jordan; but for some reason he remains completely isolated from the community. Instead of MJ asserting a potential community relationship he instead gives the appearance of elitism. So in essence, how about a little MJ? We don't need a lot. Little bits would have tremendous impact.

I agree with this entirely also. I'd drive from Columbus, OH just to see him if there was an event. He is only the best basketball player to ever walk the earth and was nearly everybody's idol growing up, including mine.


Is it possible to get a bit more interaction with the players and coaches? For example, signings, online chats, and other events?

I have seen some online discussions on the bobcats website, like with the wretched Gerald Wallace "G-force" naming contest (should be crash!), but there is never too much exposure!

Once again, thank you for your time and contribution! We'll definitely have plenty of ideas, feedback and desire to support our team. We also welcome any information or ideas that you have and we'll support the team through thick and thin!

[TheBeagle]

....Charlotte wasn't such a fickle sports city. During the early Hornets run, this was the place to be. I remeber as a kid, when somebody in class said they were going to a Hornets game, we were all in awe, and I'm from northern Davidson County, 15 miles south of Winston Salem.

For whatever reason (Shinn/Woolridge debacle, arena ultimatums, "hip-hop" culture, etc.) it became en vogue to badmouth the NBA in the Carolinas. Because people like to feel a part of a group, the more people talk bad about the NBA, the more people will come to their point of view, whether they know the first thing about basketball or not. So while there was enthusiasm for the Hornets, replaced by antipathy when they left, there is now apathy for the Bobcats.

Solutions: (in no particular order)
1. The PA volume has to be turned down. The pregame intro music is too loud. A lot of the music during timeouts is also just too loud. It's like Keetch says, you can't even talk to the person sitting next to you no matter where you're sitting, and it's irritating to be in mid-sentence and have your voice drowned out by the blasting music or PA announcer shouting. This has kept many, many people I personally know away from the games, and that is an absolute shame.

2. If there was some kind of ticket giveaway or something. The arena is a fabulous place, and it is a wonderful experience in and of itself to take in a game. I was a fan of the Coliseum, but it puts that old relic out to pasture. Just a great place, staffed with nice, courteous ushers and other staff members. If there was a way to get someone in there that has sworn off the NBA, or may not otherwise go to a game, I know there would be a great "conversion" ratio after having been inside the arena and seen a game (taking into account, point 1, of course). Even if the game itself is not of interest, there are plenty of diversions inside the arena, for the casual fan to take part in. They just need to get in the arena.

3. Better TV deal. Mark Packer, who hosts a popular regional radio show out of Charlotte has said as much, as have callers to the show who have been eager to catch the Cats, but have satellite, and therefore can't view the games because of the TW deal. This doesn't affect me, as I have TW, but the more people that can see the Cats play is always better.

4. Winning

[spectre]

Welcome Michael!

TV is obviously the biggest thing as the others have said. I thought Bonnell had a good thought (really...he did!) with maybe swapping naming rights to TWC to get out of the contract, but no doubt you guys are aware of the problem and doing what you can.

Access to top dogs...like Higgins. The GM of Portland actually has an open email address where fans can ask questions and he responds...the responses usually get posted on a forum and that way the organization gets out what it wants vs. some reporter's spin. Yes, I'm looking your way Bonnell...

How's about a blog from the Bobcats where THEY give some of that info we all crave...like why Nazr's PT went down so drastically after the NY game. As it is now we get Bonnell's "gotcha" take or we just guess...neither of which is a good thing.

After the Boston game I had people coming up to me at work (Raleigh) the next day saying "How about those Bobcats!!!"...people at my work NEVER talk about the Bobcats. Wins and access is the bottom line in getting fans. As soon as you guys address that we'll be in business.

[amour217]

1. Games were easier to access on TV.

2. The players were more accessible. I remember a couple years back around Valentine's Day the players signed at the Carolinas Place Mall. It was great and I went with a friend of mine. It was cool to interact with the players and take pictures. Some were real great (Okafor, Knight, Carroll, Robinson, Burleson) and some were major a-holes and I'm not ashamed to say it (ahem Sean May and Kareem Rush, good riddance). But that's neither here nor there, players should know how to act with fans...but it'd be nice to be able to interact with them and see them more often. Aside from seeing Raymond Felton shopping for bedsheets at JC Penney one day, that's the only other time I've interacted with players.

3. Have the dancers dunk off trampolines...that would be AWESOME :afro:

[spectre]

3. Have the dancers dunk off trampolines...that would be AWESOME

Yes...Michael we have some HOT cheerleaders. We should use them a lot more. Maybe a calender?

[davcbow]

Something else I thought of; this season we play most of our home games the beginning of the year and have these gigantic road trips the last part of the season due to the college basketball torniments, why not play a game in Winston Salem, a game in Greensboro and another game in Raliegh during these college basketball torniments maybe even 2 games in each city instead of these drastic long road trips. We want fans? thats a way to do it. We played a preseason game in Greensboro this year and it had a really good turnout (I was there) to watch us defeat the Maimi Heat. :g:

[123together]

if they win more?

[davcbow]

if they win more?


Whats that mean?

Go Bobcats!!!!!
Gehen Sie Luchse!!!!!

[bizzlecatz]

As a Bobcats fan outside of Charlotte, I really don't know why prople are not coming to the games,but judging by the comments from
others. I would say Publicity is the main problem.


Publicize the team more, and curiosity along with winning will bring out the fans. :)

Just my 2 cents

[123together]

if they win more?


its not negative, its kinda true about charlotte. when the panthers are winning, everyone goes to the games, but when they are losing they still "sell out" but half of the seats are empty. if i had the money to go to every game i would be there in a heartbeat, but being in college and about an hour away its hard for me.



Go Bobcats!!!!!
Gehen Sie Luchse!!!!!

[The Stache]

I think all we need to get fans is one superstar player, like someone that is in the top 10 of all NBA players. Look at some examples:

76ers- Fans lost interest once A.I. left.
Celtics- With KG, now one of the most popular teams.
Cavaliers- I barely heard of them before LeBron James came.
Lakers- Would they have any fans without Kobe?
Denver- Melo (and A.I.) definitely got fans interested in Denver.

The Bobcats definitely have a lot of talent in J-Rich and Wallace, but having a superstar would get us 4 things: more fans, more wins, more team merchandise sales, and more ticket sales.

[Michael Thompson]

Wow.

First of all, thank you for letting me post here - and thank you to everyone who replied. Your passion for the Bobcats is obvious, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

I took the liberty of grouping your suggestions and comments, and will do my best to address them by those groups. Some answers I have for you today. Some I'll have for you in the coming weeks. Some I have absolutely no idea if I'll ever be able to answer adequately. But I hope this serves as a jumping off point for more discussion on Bobcats-related topics.

The issue mentioned most so far is our television broadcast deal. While Time Warner Cable, and News 14 in particular, is a terrific partner for us, everyone realizes that the current agreement has some practical application limitations, and all sides are committed to finding solutions. How long , and in what form, those solutions will take is purely a matter of speculation at the moment, but understand that all sides are working hard at it because so much of our ability to grow the brand depends on fans throughout the region being able to regularly watch us play on television. And because Mark Packer said it's important (I'm kidding PacMan - it's good to be back in the market and listen to your show again).

Issue two (sounds like we're doing the McLaughlin Group now) is what we call internally "experiential marketing" - all the ways in which our fans experience the Bobcats in-person. I hear you loud and clear on the volume at the Arena (no pun intended). That's a really tough call for game presentation directors across the league. On the one hand, you don't want to bust people's ear drums - on the other hand, it is a live sporting event where you want to create a certain kind of atmosphere and homecourt advantage, and quiet arenas don't do much for that. Is there a happy medium? I believe so. Give us a chance to find it. As far as accessability to players, I believe you have a right to expect that as well. I've only been here a month now and am not completely familiar with our public appearance policy and schedule, but as soon as I learn more I will share it. And, yeah Spectre, we've got a hot dance team - you could have met a couple of them at Picasso's in University for our first watch party of the season. That schedule I do have, and I'll be happy to post it here.


After these two major issues, there were ten more with one or two comments each. Let me try to tackle what I know for sure, and then let you know which ones I can get answers for and which ones I have no answers for.

What I Know For Sure:
Our new website is coming. Soon. I saw a preview of it yesterday and it looks awesome. This is something you're going to be proud of, and something you'll be visiting a lot. In addition to the new look, it's going to take on a new philosophy. Bobcats.com won't necessarily be the place where Bobcats news breaks (we will do that occasionally, just not as a regular practice), but it will be the place that covers our news the best (video, blogs, transcripts, game stories, ticket window, community angles, partner pages, links, etc). Bobcats.com is unique among all media covering the team because of the access we provide it. Matt and his staff have been working their tails off over the past couple of months to create the new site and do it the right way. I know there have been delays and frustrations along with it, but it will be worth the wait.

Arena naming rights is another thing that a lot of people have been waiting patiently for, and another thing the organization is working around-the-clock to get done. Finding solutions for this and the television deal are priorities 1 and 1A for us because they both impact our brand, our business and our bottom line in so many ways. Finding those solutions will be huge for the organization, and the city as well, and I know there are a lot of very smart and committed people working dilligently on this because I've been in the room as they work on it.

On the basketball operations front, fans will have direct access to GM Rod Higgins tomorrow (Saturday) night during our chalk talk in Lowe's Home Court at 6pm. Mr. Higgins will speak about the direction of the team and answer your questions, so show up. Access doesn't come any more direct than that. Mr. Bickerstaff's role remains the same as Executive VP. I've seen him at games and in the office, and he deserves so much credit for the early development of many of our players.

From a community relations standpoint - thank you to all who have offered their assistance and contributions to our charitable foundation. The programs that our Senior VP of Community Relations LaRita Barber has put together are some of the best in the league, and the Community Care Cruiser is a great cause to get behind with a donation or attendance at our annual black tie fundraiser (which is widely heralded as the best of its kind in Charlotte - and that's saying a lot). The new website will be loaded with info on programs like these, and ways to get personally involved.

I know we don't give tickets away wholesale, but our sales staff certainly has a very limited number of comps at their disposal for prospecting purposes - getting serious potential ticket buyers to experience the game firsthand in an attempt to bring them on-board as future ticket buyers. This is an effective tool for our sales staff, and a practice used around the league.


What I Don't Know For Sure, But Can Ask About:
I don't know anything about an Arena boycott (perceived or otherwise), but will do my best to find out if that ever happened and what the final outcome was if it did. I've never seen or heard of protestors, but I will look into it.

Mr. Jordan's presence is certainly felt around the organization, but I think there's room for improvement on the organization's side (read: my department) to let people know just how much he is involved. MJ is the most unique owner in sports. No other owner is able to directly impact the way his team performs on the court like he's demonstrated he can. And while I recognize that doesn't quite feel the same to fans who want to see him sitting courtside, I love the idea of him delivering a pregame welcome. Let me pass that one along.

Playing regular season home games outside of our market is a little trickier than it sounds (this coming from someone who did it for two years post-Katrina, in which the Hornets played "home" games in four different arenas). Logistics, tickets, game operations, travel arrangements, broadcasts, sponsorships and the league schedule makers are just a few of the obstacles a team would need to deal with and overcome to pull off just one game outside of its home arena. But like I said, the Hornets did it for two years and the NHL just played a game outdoors so anything is possible.


What I Have No Answers For:
The issue I'll refer to as "Hornets Hangover" or "Anti-NBA" is the one that throws me for a loop. This is a new day, with a new franchise that is committed to Charlotte. There are no threats to leave, no animosity with ownership or management, no off-court troubles with our players, no irreparable damage in the market. And to hold a franchise that didn't exist 6 years ago accountable for the sins of another seems as irrational to me as painting every NBA player with the same brush and writing them all off as "thugs". For this issue I have no answer - other than the facts. Basketball is overtaking soccer as the world's most popular sport. The best basketball in the world is played in the NBA (hey, I was a college basketball purist myself once, and then I started watching the NBA in-person on a regular basis and it pained me to finally admit that there is no comparison to the athletic abilities and skill levels of NBA players). Charlotte is one of only 28 markets in the world to have an NBA team to call its own. And having lived in a market for two years that didn't have one but absolutely deserves its own, you should look at an NBA team as an asset to be cherished and protected because sports (and our sport in particular) is one place where people from all backgrounds and walks of life can come together and celebrate a commonality. When's the last time that happened at a grocery store (shameless plug - please shop at Harris Teeter), or in line at a bank (we love Wachovia!)?

This is turning a little "preachy" for my tastes so I'm going to stop here. Please keep the dialogue going. It's a great use of this forum. And please keep the suggestions coming. You never know when one of them becomes an NBA best practice and gets copied in markets around the league.

[Alex]

Great news about the website! Do you have a timetable for when it might be released?

[Muttley]

It may help to develop some partnership with the Lynx system. I live in Raleigh (would love to see some games at the RBC center!), but I stay with my parents in Waxhaw when I'm in town for games. It's only natural to drive to the 485 park and ride and ride the train all the way up town. I mean, it drops you off right at the door to the arena. It kinda sucks to have to wait in line before and after games in particular to get a ticket for the train. I feel like there's a great opportunity there to offer round-trip tickets to Bobcat ticket holders. Or, perhaps season ticket holders get a season pass on the train. I don't really know, but I'm sure there's a way that you could use the asset of the train to the Bobcat's advantage. At the very least, get some posters on the train.

Thanks again Michael for making yourself so accessible. Can't wait to see the new site.

[dnbman]

Thanks, Michael, for the extended response.

RE: the boycott

Don't ask around too much, as I'm guessing most people have never heard of it. I think the boycott only exists in some marshy area south of where the unicorns and leprechauns live.


On another note, the team should definitely try to connect its various online communities either through the website or some other kind of promotions. I'm not sure what the numbers of are of posters/fans on these sites, but they'll likely only grow.

Perhaps some kind of "best of blogs" on the Bobcats' site would be nice. (Ziggy, would this be a bad thing in anyway?)

[ziggy]

Having a "Best of Blogs" or a "Fan Section" area on their site would be nice, but from the Bobcats perspective I could see why that may be a little reluctant to do that.

They might not want to link to a site where there may be negative content that may counter what they are trying to build.

[ammofan]

Thanks for joining Michael.

I think that first of all the Cats need better advertising. I always see Panthers billboards or beer trucks with the Panthers logo on it or whatever, I NEVER SEE ANYTHING WITH BOBCATS STUFF ON IT!!
Also, the new banners outside of the stadium need to be changed(Herrmann and Primoz are still up)

The Cats could also make a better TV show....the insider is okay but it doestn't tell me anything. Baseball teams (and football teams for that matter) have TV shows during the week that tell trade rumors, and etc., etc. We need something like that.

The Bobcats also need to make a trade. I KNOW that Felton and May and Okafor are players who bring people to the stadium , but maybe we should trade them. Felton and Okafor are underacheiving and May cannot stay healthy. Try to pull in a big time player to play with Gerald and Jason. (Maybe trade for T-Mac- on RealGM.com it states that he is unhappy in Houston)

Oh yeah one last thing- WIN!!!!!

GO CATS GO! GO CATS GO! GO CATS GO!!!!!!!!

[Slam]

Michael, I admire you reaching out to us like this. Very impressive.

In the Dec issue of "SLAM" in the Noyz section on page 44 it says:

"so the bobcasts have the web site they wanted. We would have been happy with them building a function PR dept"

I think that says a lot.

It may seem trivial to you, but saying in the media that we are going to launch a new, revamped web site by the end of Oct and to, in Jan, still have the same old web site really ticks the fans off.

Our merchandise sucks, and any time I have e-mailed the executives I have recieved a cold, uninviting e-maill back.

You want the fans to reach out to you?

Then reach out to the fans.

You could start by checking out the Blazers web site - especially over the summer where they are really "on the ball"

[fatlever]

how can the bobcats improve the fan base?

to begin, this is a good start michael. i think its great that the bobcats have decided to reach out to the fan base like this. in the past, it seems fan forums have largely been ingnored by professional teams. there is no better place to get information about a team you love and connect with the fans than to regularly surf through various internet message boards such as this. this is where you will find your passionate, vocal fans... the younger generation, the pulse of the fan base. obviously this is not where you will find your rich corporate sponsors, but you get the idea.

here are some of the problems that i see... outside of the tv deal which is by far the biggest problem.

1. lack of branding - where are the ads? where are the logos plastered all over the city? where are the tshirts and jerseys in the local malls and sports shops? more more more.

2. lack of connection from the front office - it is no secret that this town does not exactly welcome bob johnson and jordan with open arms. a lot of that has to do with the fanbase feeling like the team is being run by a few absentee owners. johnson and jordan are HUGE icons in their respective fields and they are doing the franchise a huge disservice by remaining so inaccessible to the fans. nobody expects those guys to run around southpark with rufus throwing t-shirts into a crowd or anything but they can certainly make themselves more prominent in the community. how about a weekly radio interview with 610 by jordan or johnson? they need to let the city know they are here for the long haul by their actions and not by statements made through a press release once a year. and where the hell is nellie? does he still own part of the team? its sad that the best national exposure this team has ever had was from flava flav with his huge bobcats clock and bobcats jerseys.

3. the website - its coming soon..... great! cause the current one is terrible. there are headlines on the front page that are a month old. the most recent story in the "newsroom" is about the offer sheet to varejao. cedea has been the dancer of the week for the past 6 weeks. is she that awesome or is the web designer that lazy? there has not been an addition to the wallpaper section of the site in probably 18 months. the site still has a calendar from december of 2006 up. the media guide for last year is still up, no media guide for this season... i could go on and on. bottom line, the site is awful, so i really hope the new site is the answer.

4. bring back natasha the dancer - i think everyone will agree with me here.

5. promote stephanie ready - stephanie is AWESOME! she is by far the best announcer of the bunch. in fact she is one of my favorite announcers in all of basketball. she is light years better than henry williams. unless stephanie just doesnt want to be an announcer and would rather stay as the sideline reporter, then i dont see any reason she shouldnt get the full time job. if not, she will be gone soon.

6. at the arena - i dont mind the volume as much as i mind some of the god awful songs that are played. please please please stop play "everybody dance" that song was terrible 15 years ago and its still terrible now. i swear i feel like having a seizure every time that song is played. overall, i enjoy the entertainment at the arena. I LOVE tic tac tocado, especially when you get a few morons that dont understand the complicated mental olympics required to play the game.... such as last night. the team does a great job of making the cheerleaders, dance team and some players available before games. would it kill you guys to give the vic card to someone in the upper deck more twice a season? do the people sitting 15 rows up at halfcourt really need free groceries? something tells me they are doing ok financially.

7. mcinnis - for the love of god, get MCMINUS out of the starting lineup!

8. 3-point shoot out and dunk contest - if richardson is not invited to the 3pt contest someone in the bobcats marketing department should get slapped. it would also be nice to see hollins in the dunk contest. get on the phones with the league office.

well, thats all i got for now....

anyway, like i said, i think its great that you came by michael. there are some passionate bobcats fans out there.

[ammofan]

very well said fatlever!

[ohara831]

Spectre: Getting Michael to hook you up with the cheerleaders!! You dog you, Spectre! Michael, Spectre will be your best friend for life! I want pictures for proof! Nothing X rated, not even R rated. Just proof. I am pulling for you Spectre! (Unless you are married. Then, it just better be all talk!)

[spectre]

Heh...yeah, I'm married.

I've seen a couple of cheerleaders at the Raleigh Caravan thing (my 7 yr old boy got a pic with Stacey...starting him early!), and even my wife said during the Greensboro preseason game that our girls are "hot". They were very prevalent...met us just inside the door and in the hallway going to the seats.

Just saying, you can't use assets (pun intended) like that enough!

[ohara831]

Spectre: You're a good man. Family time at the game is a great thing!

[BIGCatBobcat]

I think this is awesome that some dude from the organization, seems like youre a higher up Michael, has posted on a fan board. I know Robert Johnson is known for being tight with money, but come on spend a little. Rather than give-aways being leftover give-aways like from opening night or over-runs from the team store make them something special that people other than 11 year olds want. Anyone remember them giving a 6 month lease to a stripped down Ford Focus away at the fan-appreciation night last year? Come on, that got skewered with some of the talk radio shows here in town. Being forced to make league minimum last year with the payroll was the biggest thing, but generally this team is cheap. There was a great billboard in front of my office 77&morehead with our "big 3" for about 3 weeks. 3 WEEKS?! and the only other one is actually pretty freakin sweet over on mint st behind the WFNZ dog house, but you really have to know its there to see it. get some real exposure. Dont call up the Billboard people and say we'd like your cheapest deal for about 3 days.

on the talk radio front, Packer has a fake "MJ" that calls in and is completely satirical about Jordan and his evident lack of intrest in the team. Terrible, that is where you are going to bring in sports fans, instead youre getting made fun of. Michael, you or Steve Martin or Stephanie Ready (don't let Henry call any radio station unless its in Italy) should be a regular caller to some of these shows. Mac durring the day is one of the only ones who focus on Bobcats for any period of time, until he gets a phone call from a redneck Carolina fan. So get some players to call up these shows and do a segment.

get some one to change the font on the score for the tv games. if i change channels i can't tell if we've got 68,88,98,96 whatever points. HD is expensive, new TV deals are hard but changing the font is easy.

As for the in arena experience, new PA guy is worse than the one before, it's too loud, the songs are terrible, the halftime(if we get one) is usually bad, sometimes there is just too much going on. I know you have to keep the fringe people, you know the ones that only come to hold up their VIC card or scream and yell for the Lowes T-shirt toss, but come on most of your core is just there to see a ball game. I swear once during a time out we had the dancers, the cheerleaders, the rally cats, the drum corps or whatever they are, dudes on stilts, midgets, dancing dogs and a polar bear out there throwing out t-shirts. they couldnt all hardly get off the court once the time-out was over. one time the PA broke and it was awesome, just chill out watch the game, but no you guys trot out the garbage cans and the fat guys to beat on them. we don't need constant noise, what happened to the nba testing "silent nights" around the league?

I sound like i have a problem with everything but i don't. I actually love everytime i walk into the arena or watch a game, unless Jeff McInnis is starting or getting more than 5 mins of PT!

[Muttley]

BIGgie, i agree with everything you said from Henry Williams' silence down to Jeff McInnis', well, silence on the court... except I like the Rhythmcats (guys beating on garbage cans). They entertain me. The one thing I might change is their location, though. Saturday I was leaving my seats and they were right in the hallway (by the escalators I believe) making it kinda hard to pass and really loud. Put them in a more open area or have them play outside the arena before/after games and it won't be so abrasive to people and they'll enjoy the beats.

[Dunk]

I think Henry is alright. Stephanie is very good and the fact that die hard NBA fans think so is a testament to how good a job she does. Maybe she could do a little more than some sideline work (I think she did a game at least once, IIRC).

Good point about MJ.

Dude, it's MICHAEL FREAKIN' JORDAN. The greatest player to ever play the game. I'd think MJ should probably, at a minimum, do a 5-10 minute call in locally, maybe something for the website, and do something for ESPN or XM weekly. Get some press for him and the team. Given his responsibility as an owner, it's not asking a lot. Mr. Thompson already agreed that MJ should be involved so...

One more thing, does anyone else's TWC guide show "news" when the Bobcats games are on? Mine doesn't always reflect that there is a game labeled as "NBA Basketball" or something on channel 14. Just curious because that could be a problem. I happen to know when and what time so I just watch the channel anyway. I'll try and double-check over the next couple of games.

[Muttley]

I think Henry is alright. Stephanie is very good and the fact that die hard NBA fans think so is a testament to how good a job she does. Maybe she could do a little more than some sideline work (I think she did a game at least once, IIRC).

Good point about MJ.

Dude, it's MICHAEL FREAKIN' JORDAN. The greatest player to ever play the game. I'd think MJ should probably, at a minimum, do a 5-10 minute call in locally, maybe something for the website, and do something for ESPN or XM weekly. Get some press for him and the team. Given his responsibility as an owner, it's not asking a lot. Mr. Thompson already agreed that MJ should be involved so...

One more thing, does anyone else's TWC guide show "news" when the Bobcats games are on? Mine doesn't always reflect that there is a game labeled as "NBA Basketball" or something on channel 14. Just curious because that could be a problem. I happen to know when and what time so I just watch the channel anyway. I'll try and double-check over the next couple of games.


I've had this problem occasionally too, and the DVR has not recorded the game. This should not happen, as the casual fan will not know that they should be tuning-in.

Stephanie is great and should be doing games with Steve Martin.

[Muttley]

I just read about the watching parties in the Charlotte area. This sounds awesome and I hope and am sure that the Queen City-ers here will support that. If I lived in the area, I sure would take advantage of that instead of sitting on my couch and watching games. Plus, do you know what they sell at bars? BEER! Okay, I can drink on the couch too, but it's so much more fun to share beer with others.

If these get a lot of attention in Charlotte, then the Bobcats should try to get these going in other cities too (like, say Raleigh, for an unbiased example). I mean, there are bars in the triangle where fans of other sports and teams gather to watch games (the Steelers come to mind, but those fans are everywhere). Perhaps the Bobcats could try to organize something like this in the Triad, Triangle and the Greenville-Spartanburg area. Maybe sponsor a "Bobcats Bar" by providing some memorabilia, advertisements helping them advertise watching parties and the like. Ladycat attendance would be a nice touch too, but probably wouldn't be feasible.

[MattD]

Stephanie is great and should be doing games with Steve Martin.


Ive got to disagree, I think she gets very annoying when she announces and is very repetitive... At least henry says something original for once... what happened to matt devlin?

[Muttley]

Stephanie is great and should be doing games with Steve Martin.


Ive got to disagree, I think she gets very annoying when she announces and is very repetitive... At least henry says something original for once... what happened to matt devlin?


He got fired this summer.

[Alex]

Yeah why in the world did Devlin get fired?? I mean Adrian Branch was HORRIBLE but Devlin was very solid and even got a few playoff games on TNT. I like Henry though, he's improved a lot from last season I think.

[BIGCatBobcat]

Michael, I heard Gerald on WFNZ today, which was awesome. Mac Attack from 11-3 is pretty solid. I know it was really Gerald because I think about a min into his interview I shat myself from him hitting the brown note. Is his voice actually deeper than Scottie Pippen's? Which reminds me, Mac asked him "you and J-Rich have been on fire lately and I don't want to equate you to Pippen/Jordan, maybe the poor man's Pippen/Jordan" Didn't know how Wallace would react but he did well. you can hear the whole thing on wfnz.com

[spectre]

Michael, I heard Gerald on WFNZ today, which was awesome. Mac Attack from 11-3 is pretty solid. I know it was really Gerald because I think about a min into his interview I shat myself from him hitting the brown note. Is his voice actually deeper than Scottie Pippen's? Which reminds me, Mac asked him "you and J-Rich have been on fire lately and I don't want to equate you to Pippen/Jordan, maybe the poor man's Pippen/Jordan" Didn't know how Wallace would react but he did well. you can hear the whole thing on wfnz.com


Rep it up dude, that was great!!!

That's good stuff Michael, more involvement and the more the sportsguys talk about us the more fans we'll get.

[Muttley]

Michael, I heard Gerald on WFNZ today, which was awesome. Mac Attack from 11-3 is pretty solid. I know it was really Gerald because I think about a min into his interview I shat myself from him hitting the brown note. Is his voice actually deeper than Scottie Pippen's? Which reminds me, Mac asked him "you and J-Rich have been on fire lately and I don't want to equate you to Pippen/Jordan, maybe the poor man's Pippen/Jordan" Didn't know how Wallace would react but he did well. you can hear the whole thing on wfnz.com


Rep it up dude, that was great!!!

That's good stuff Michael, more involvement and the more the sportsguys talk about us the more fans we'll get.


That's the way to use the quality guys on this team to the advantage of the marketing side of the franchise. Biggie, got a link to the site, or is it pretty straight forward to find it on the site?... never mind, found it. It's right there on page one.

[TheBeagle]

Thanks for the info, BIG!! And yes, his voice of deeper than Scottie's. He's got the Barry White going on!

[Michael Thompson]

Don't want you guys to think I've forgotten about this thread. I just wanted to give people a little time to post, and give us a little time to react so I could share with you some updates, progress and answers.

There has been a lot of talk about winning on here, and there's no question that winning is something we all want to see. Some have called for trades, others for lineup changes. While I have absolutely no insight on basketball operations, I can tell you the reason I know we will be successful on the court: Rod Higgins. In Washington, he helped build the foundation of that playoff team through trades that cleared the cap space to sign Gilbert Arenas, and surround him with talent like Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood. In Golden State, he helped build the foundation of a playoff team through trades that brought Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington to the Warriors, and drafted Monta Ellis in the second round. Rod is the real deal and one of the best in the business at turning perennial lottery teams around into playoff teams.

There has also been a lot of chatter about our broadcast team, and Stephanie in particular. I agree that she does a phenomenal job on television, and she surprised me with her versatility on the radio (anyone catch her the night we beat Boston?). I don't know what her long-term aspirations are, but she belongs in broadcast and I'm glad we've got her on our team.

On the Bobcats.com front, here's the deal. Over the summer we put together a plan and vision for a re-design of the site. After much work was put into it, the league came to us with some new options and ideas that would really elevate the quality of the site and the experience for every user. Adopting those new options and ideas would cost us some major time and work hours devoted to writing code, but the end result would be something much better than originally envisioned. We are at the tail end of that process now. There is light at the end of the tunnel - and it's not an oncoming train! The new site will launch. . .very soon, and the wait will have been well worth it. And I love the idea of highlighting blogs.

Someone brought up the Lynx partnership, and as a daily rider myself I can't tell you how excited I would be to have a rail pass tied to my season tickets. Standing around waiting for the machine to print my train ticket has caused me to miss a train on more than a few occasions already. CATS is a great corporate partner of ours, and we're constantly looking for ways to leverage each other to find win-win-win (Bobcats-CATS-fans) opportunities. Season tickets with rail passes of some sort is a terrific idea, and one being looked at right now.

There has been a lot of talk about our advertising and branding efforts. The "experts" are all over the map now on the effectiveness of advertising. Are billboards and print ads just "wallpaper" nowadays? With DVR's and satellite radio, are television and radio ads seen or heard by anyone anymore? What role does PR play in this discussion? Isn't it all just "branding" now anyways? The bottom line is, no one really, truly knows what the second-best, third-best, or fourth-best forms of advertising are. But we all know that the very best form of advertising is word-of-mouth, and the onus of responsibility for getting people to talk about us to their family and friends is squarely on our shoulders. We have to build an organization that provides top-notch entertainment experiences, and then encourage people to share their experience with others. I hope that's what we're able to do here. And I'm glad people heard Gerald on WFNZ. Anyone catch the SportsCenter tribute to the "maturation of the Bobcats" last week? People are starting to catch on!

There are a lot of great things in the works right now. As soon as they're finalized, I'll be happy to share them with this group.

As always, keep the comments and suggestions coming. It's the only way we can elevate this franchise to the next level.

[BIGCatBobcat]

Michael, did you say elevate?

[Muttley]

Michael, did you say elevate?


I'm sure there was some Bobcats corporate seminar where the use of "elevate" was highly encouraged over this season. I'd be surprised if employees didn't get a bonus every time they use the word! I know I've heard the radio folks and Steve and Henry use it a whole lot. Or, maybe I'm just noticing it more. Either way, it works well as a theme for the season as we try to break through to the upper level of competition in the league.

Thanks for the latest update Michael. Please let us know as soon as you can when these upcoming great things happen. Can't wait for the new website.

[amour217]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit

[Muttley]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit


I smell cross-promotion with Bojangles.

[amour217]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit


I smell cross-promotion with Bojangles.


I think Muttley and I have solved the naming rights issue for the Arena. The Bobcats should reply in thanks with personalized jerseys, retired numbers, courtside seats, and a lifetime supply of ham biscuits

[MattD]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit


that actually could be catchy... and it does kinda look like a biscuit

[WarioVsMooChicken]

Genius!

[TheBeagle]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit


that actually could be catchy... and it does kinda look like a biscuit
:biggrin: That's true. I like it!

[willyfray]

The most important thing is to win. The arena also needs to get named, preferably by a local company. The TV deal needs to improve.
I agree, the announcer is soooo annoying. Especially that he screams out BOBCATS BALL! everytime we get the ball out of bounds. Drives me crazy.
Another really important thing:
I know MJ may not like this, but he really really really needs to be PUBLICLY involved. When he practiced with the players, it was all over the paper and everyone was taking about it, which is the kind of publicity we need. It got everyone so excited. I liked someone's idea for him to greet the fans on the court. That's public presence right there. He shouldn't become like Cuban, but he needs to stop being a recluse. He doesn't even talk to reporters or the paper or anything.

[dnbman]

...if the Arena was nicknamed The Biscuit


that actually could be catchy... and it does kinda look like a biscuit


Combo #4 Arena??!!

with dirty, dirty rice! :wink:

[dnbman]

I know MJ may not like this, but he really really really needs to be PUBLICLY involved. When he practiced with the players, it was all over the paper and everyone was taking about it, which is the kind of publicity we need. It got everyone so excited. I liked someone's idea for him to greet the fans on the court. That's public presence right there. He shouldn't become like Cuban, but he needs to stop being a recluse. He doesn't even talk to reporters or the paper or anything.



That's a double edge sword, though. The more public he is, the more he becomes the franchise face rather than the players. As he goes the team goes and vice-versa.

In many ways, I like that Jordan acts almost more like a team saint, showing up at key moments and working behind the scene otherwise. It keeps the focus on the 12 guys dressing for the games rather than on a guy who hasn't dressed in years.

[willyfray]

That's a double edge sword, though. The more public he is, the more he becomes the franchise face rather than the players. As he goes the team goes and vice-versa.

In many ways, I like that Jordan acts almost more like a team saint, showing up at key moments and working behind the scene otherwise. It keeps the focus on the 12 guys dressing for the games rather than on a guy who hasn't dressed in years.
[/quote]

That makes sense to me, but he has only shown up as a "team saint" once, in that practice or 2 days of practice. I think he could say more publicly. I agree that we need to promote the players (i.e. MJ shouldn't be on billboards or anything) but, to answer Michael Thompson's question, the Bobcats would get more fans if MJ was more public.

Of course, the idea that would gain us the most fans is if MJ played and/or coached.

[dnbman]

Of course, the idea that would gain us the most fans is if MJ played and/or coached.




Please delete that. You have no idea who could be reading these boards!

:wink:

[willyfray]

Of course, the idea that would gain us the most fans is if MJ played and/or coached.




Please delete that. You have no idea who could be reading these boards!

:wink:


Why would what I said ever be a bad thing?